When the family was growing up, their Mom and I decided to take them bowling. Samantha, the youngest of four, was somewhere around 5 years old. After much persuasion, she finally consented to make an attempt at the bowling game. I coaxed her up to the line at the lane and I placed the ball in her hands. She held it for a moment then let it drop to the floor. It ever so slowly rolled down the lane. It took forever. Surprisingly, it stayed right in the middle of the lane. After the incredibly long slow roll, the ball at last reached the standing pins. In extremely slow motion the ball touched at the front of the pins. One by one every pin was slowly contacted by another pin and slowly fell over. It was amazing. She rolled a strike the first roll she ever made in her life. The ball carried the power. All she did was release the ball. As it worked out, the ball was right down the center until hitting the front pin just right for the strike.
What a lesson in the working of faith! In the face of need, in ourselves or in others, we step up to the line with the Spirit-given promise in the Word. We drop that Word on the situation. The Word goes forth by the Spirit and accomplishes that to which it is sent (Isaiah 55:11). Angels respond to the Word sent in faith (Psalms 103:20). The power is not in the vessel that delivers the Word, but in the Word and Spirit of God. When sin, sickness, and sorry circumstances of life’s situations, stand in array before us, we need to walk up to the line with the Spirit-revealed promises of God and drop it on the lane before us and trust God to make it hit its mark. It is this continued operation of faith in our life that will bring about the strike we desire. Sometimes we feel like we can’t accomplish what needs to be accomplished, and we stay seated in the on-lookers booth. We think, “It can’t be done.” But Jesus taught “…with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). He took the lid off of it. I might stagger at that word as I look around at mine and other people’s experiences. That is why the Word directs us to be “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). Looking unto Jesus we see that God sent him for our deliverance in every way. Jesus willingly suffered, taking a horrible beating, so our sicknesses could be healed. He willingly gave himself to be crucified on a cross, becoming the eternal sacrificial offering for all of our sins. On the third day after his death, God raised him from the dead. Now he is interceding by the Father’s right hand for us to receive his work for our deliverance. Take that ball to your lane and let it fly!